1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an over-tube which can supply air to the trachea in addition to acting as a guide for inserting and removing devices such as an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laparoscopy is known in which, instead of making a wide incision in the abdominal wall, a plurality of openings are formed in the abdominal wall and performs medical procedures are performed by inserting a hard laparoscope, forceps, and a surgical knife, into each of the openings, in the case in which medical procedures (including an observation, a treatment, or the like.) are performed on internal organs of a human body. Laparoscopy has an advantage in that an early recovery of a patient can be expected since it needs only forming small openings in the abdomen.
However, in recent years, as for medical procedures which further reduce the burden on the patient, performing medical procedures by inserting a flexible endoscope through natural openings such as the mouth, the nose, or the anus, of the patient is proposed. One example of such medical procedures is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,131. This medical procedure will be explained. A flexible endoscope is inserted through the mouth of a patient; and the endoscope is fed into the abdominal cavity through an opening formed in the stomach wall. Observations of the abdominal cavity are performed by an observation device provided on a distal end of the endoscope. Furthermore, treatments of an organ are performed by using: a treatment tool which passes through the endoscope; or a treatment tool which is inserted into the abdominal cavity through another opening formed in the stomach, or which is inserted from the anus into the abdominal cavity through an opening formed in the lower alimentary canal. When the medical procedures within the abdominal cavity are completed, the treatment tool for an endoscope is removed; and the opening is closed. When closing the opening, the organs around the opening are sucked and closed such that the organs are bound together by an O-ring.